Refrigerating apparatus



July 3, 1951 A. PHILIPP REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 24, 1947INVENTOR. Lnwesucz H- PHILJPP BY R1- TORNEY Patented July 3, 1951 IREFRIGERATING APPARATUS Lawrence A. Philipp, Detroit, Mich., assignor toNash-Kelvinator Corporation, Detroit, Micln, a

corporation of Maryland Application October 24, 1947, Serial No. 781,957

This invention relates generally to refrigerators and more particularly"in composite refrigerator cabinet panels.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improvedrefrigerator cabinet panel of composite construction.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved compositerefrigerator door to decrease heat conduction between an outer doorcasing and an inner door panel.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved compositerefrigerator cabinet panel of decreased heat conducting qualities whichis in expensive to manufacture.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearlyshown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator including a cabinet shown withan access door open, embodying features-of my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectiona view of the refrigeratordoor, taken along the line 22 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view partly in elevation and partly in'sectionof the door, taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is 'a sectional view of a rear panel of the door, shown removedtherefrom.

In the drawings, there is shown a refrigerator having a cabinet,designated generally by the numeral 20. The cabinet 26 has a foodstorage compartment 22 which may be cooled by a refrigerant'evaporatorof any suitable type; the present evaporator having an ice makingcompartment closed at the front thereof by an interior door 24. Thefront of the cabinet has an access opening to compartment 22 which isclosed by an outer or main access door 26 which may be hinged to oneside of the cabinet 20.

. 7 Claims. (Cl. 2o 35 outer surface, as at 40,

a lip or bumper portion 44. The gasket base 42 and the bumper portion 44are joined togetherin a manner to form a channel which faces inwardlytoreceive an outer marginal portion of the composite panel 30. This gasket38 may be made of rubber 'or of any other'suitable material.

In accordance with my invention I make the composite rear panel 30 of acentral panel'member 48 are flush or coplanar.

The'door 26 comprises, in general, an outer metal-casing 28 and an inneror rear composite panel 30. The composite panel 30 closes the back ofthe metal door casing 28 forming therewith a hollow door structure orshell. Heat insulation- 32 of any suitable type is preferably providedin the hollow door structure to decrease heat leakage through the doorinto the cabinet interior.

The door casing 28 may be made of thin sheet steel formed in generaldish-like shape having a rear, inturned reinforcing flange 34. flange 34preferably extends along the casing top, sides and bottom and ispreferably reinforced by bending inwardly, a marginal flange portion 86thereof. Attached to the casing flange 84 is a This.

her 46 and an outer panel extension or heat breaker strip 48. The panel46 is preferably made of a light weight sheet material, such asinexpensive sheet steel and the size of the panel 46 is madesuch thatits peripheral edge terminates in spaced relation to and inwardly of thecasing flange portion 36 so as to decrease heat conduction therebetween.The panelextension member 48 is made of a low heat conductive material,such as flber board. This panel extension member 48 extends preferablyaround the entire periphery of the panel 46 in. the manner of a frame toprovide-a'good heat break between the under the application of pressure;Preferably, the overlapping portion of the panel 46 is offset inwardly,as at 41, so that the outer surfaces of the panel member 46 and of itsextension mem- Cemented to the exterior, flush surfaces of thepanel 46and its extension 48 is a finish covering 54, preferably a thin sheet ofplastic material. This plastic sheet 54 covers the joints between thepanel 46' and panel extension 48. The plastic cover sheet 54 is cementedto the panel 46 and panel extension 48 preferably by rubber cementjandpreferably under the application of heat. Prior to the. cementing of thepanel member 46 and panel extension together, the panel 46 is preferablyformed, as at 56, to provide a bead, giving added rigidity to the panel,and at thesame time may be formed to provide the offset flange 41. Thestiffening head 56 is preferably continuous, extending along and inspaced relation to the sides, top and bottom edges of the panel 46. Whenthe outer plastic covering 54 is cemented under pressure to the panelmember, the plastic covering is pressed to take the form of the bead andof the flange 41; the plastic covering being set to fit complementarywith the panel formations. When thedoor is assembled, an outer marginalportion of panel extension and the plastic cover sheet are received inthe channel of the rubber gasket 38, spacing the metal panel member 46from the metal casing of the front of the cabinet around the cabinetaccess opening to form a seal. In general, the gasket 38 comprises abase 42 and ness.

28. Spaced, spring fasteners 58 or other suitable means may be providedfor attaching the gasket 38 and composite panel to the casing flange 34.Aligning apertures may be p ovided in the casing flange 34, panelextension and in the cover 54 to receive the fastening 58. The coversheet 54 need not extend entirely to the outer edges of the panelextension 48, but instead may terminate inwardly of the fasteners.

For use in household refrigerators inexpensive hot rolled sheet steel ofapproximately twenty thousandths thickness may be used to form themember 46 and the sheet 54 may be formed of plastic approximately tenthousandths in thick- These sheets may be united by any suitable cementand pressed together and in some instances when certain types of cementare used it may be desirable to apply heat during the pressingoperation.

Since the members 46 and 54 are united to the frame of fibre board 48and the board 48 secured to the casing 28 a rigid door construction isprovided. This is accomplished by inexpensive sheet steel withoutrequiring any form of corrosive preventing coating such as rust proofingor coating of vitreous enamel because the plastic member 54 protects themember 46 from moisture present in therefrigerator while the insulatingfibre board provides a breaker strip between the metal member 46 and thecasing 28.

In the interior of refrigerators certain amount of moisture tends toform on the innerwalls'and some moisture may form on the plastic member54. Some of such moisture is absorbedin the plastic member. tendingtocause the member 54 to expand. Such expansion is eliminated by theextension member of low heat conductive mate- 'rial extending outwardlyfrom the periphery of said panel member, a cementitious materialcementing said panel member and said extension member together andsealing the joint therebetween, and a sheet of plastic material cementedto corresponding surfaces of said panel member and said ext'ensionmemberfurther sealing said joint.

3. A composite refrigerator cabinet panel comprising, an inner metalpanel member, an outer heat breaker strip extending along the peripheryof said metal panel member, means securing said metal panel member andsaid heat breaker strip together, and a sheet of plastic materialcemented to and flat against corresponding surfaces of said metallicpanel member and said breaker strip.

4. A composite refrigerator cabinet panel comprising, an inner metalpanel member, an outer heat breaker strip extending along the peripheryof said metal panel member, means securing said metal panel member andsaid heat breaker strip together, a sheet of plastic material cementedto and flat against corresponding surfaces of said metallic panel memberand said breaker strip,

sheet metal member 46 being. united to the mem-. 1

her 54. In View of the fact that member 54 cannot expand it can besecured to the casing 28 to aid in forming'atrigid door whereas if themember 54 should be allowed to expand while being secured to the'easingIB'I therme'mber 54 would buckle and' -in some instances bucklei'nsaid heat insulating member. "40

edge spaced inward wardly and tend to engage objects storedfin therefrigerator; 1

From the foregoing description, it iwill bei noted that I have providedan improved door construca connecting mei'nbe' and complementarystiffening deformations in said inner metal panel and in said sheet ofplastic material inwardly of said breaker strip,

', 5..A composite refrigerator cabinet door comprising, an outer casinghaving an inturned flange, a rear panel member having an outerperipheral edge spaced inwardly from said inturned f flange. aheatinsulating member overlapping said inturned flange and 'overlappin'g'amarginal edge'portion of said inner panel closing the jointtherebetween, and an outer-cover member cover-- ing the outersurfaces-of said rear panel and 6. A composite refrigerator cabinet doorcomprising, anouter casinghavingfaninturned flange, f a rear}panelmember, its} outer peripheral-- c said; inturned flange,heatconductingmm, I at fportions of "said terial -overlappin d flangesclosing pace therebetween, and a plastic covering n lthe' outer surfacesof said tion to decrease heat conduction between-inner; and outer partsof' the; door It will also be noted that I have providedan'improvedrefrigerw tor panel of composite'construction iniwhi'ch thedoor panel and'its outer'finish cover are cement edrtogeth'er and-teamarginal panel-extension member'or'breaker strip to-decreaseheat con-iduction and also decrease cost of manufacturing refrigerator cabinetpanels.

inturned flange, a rear panel member having an i outer peripheral edgespaced from said inturned j fflange, a plastic breaker strip overlappingsaid inturned flange and said inner panel closing the Although only apreferred form of theinvention has been illustrated, and-that formdescribed of sa d breaker strip, a fastener connecting said in detail,'it will be apparent to ,those skflle'd in the art that variousmodifications may be made therein without} departing from thespiritof'the invention or from the scope of the ,appendedf.

claims. 4

Iclaim:' I 1. A composite refrigerator panel comprising,

a panel member of sheet material, a panel exten-' sion member of lowheat conductive material extending outwardly of the periphery ofsaidpanel member and forming a joint therewith, and a sheet of plasticmaterial cemented flat against 'rear' panel' and of said connectingmember.

7. A composite, refrigerator cabinet door comprising, an outer sheet,metal casing having a rear spaceftherebetween, means attaching said rearpaneland 'sa'id breaker strip together, a gasket attached'to saidinturned flange having an inf'wardly facing channel receiving an outerportion gasket and said breaker strip to said inturned flange, and acovering on the outer surface of -;said rear panel and on the outersurface of said breaker strip covering the joint therebetween.

A. PHILIPP.

.REFERENCES CITED Thefollowing references are of record inthe flle ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,309,001 I Nave et al. Jan. 19, 1943

